This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for separating a fluid interspersed with a spherical-shaped semiconductor device.
Conventional integrated circuits, or "chips," are formed from a flat surface semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is first manufactured in a semiconductor material manufacturing facility and is then provided to a fabrication facility. At the latter facility, several layers are processed onto the semiconductor wafer surface. Once completed, the wafer is then cut into one or more chips and assembled into packages. Although the processed chip includes several layers fabricated thereon, the chip still remains relatively flat.
Often during processing, a fluid is applied to the wafer, such as for etching or cleaning the wafer's surface. Being relatively flat, it is a simple process to tilt the wafer and thus separate the fluid from the wafer. The wafer can then be placed in a wafer carrier and moved to the next processing operation.
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/858,004 filed on May 16, 1997, assigned to the same assignee as the present application and hereby incorporated by reference, a method and apparatus for manufacturing spherical-shaped semiconductor integrated circuit devices is disclosed. The spherical shaped devices are processed in various configurations, such as moving through a processing tube. However, due to the unique characteristics of this type of processing, including the continual movement of the spherical shaped devices, it is difficult to separate a fluid from the spherical shaped devices. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for separating fluid from such devices.